Photo below shows what appears to be an albino male elephant calf with his mother on 20th June 2017 in TENP at Mudanda water hole. Certainly, his skin colour and pigmentation is very different and pink in colour that resembles an albino elephant – a sight rarely seen.

Big Tusker Project - aerial and ground teams:

The Tsavo Trust’s Big Tusker Project (BTP) recorded the following details in the BTP database:

Total of 10 different individual Tusker’s were observed from ground and air coverage.

Total of 10 different individual Tusker’s were observed from ground and air coverage.

4 bull Super Tuskers – 4 different sightings.

4 Emerging Tuskers – 4

2 iconic cow Tuskers – 11 sightings.

Total sightings – 19

Weather conditions: Dry and strong winds.

- Elephant mortality: Number of carcasses found significantly down, with no poached elephants located, all 3 were natural deaths.

- Rhino security: 11 rhino specific aerial recces took place with KWS / TT aircraft in TWNP and TENP. TT - Tembo 3 team continued in support to KWS in ground operations in the TW IPZ. Strong and valuable 3-way partnership between KWS / ZSL and TT continues with specific focus on rhino protection in TWNP.

Table 1: Shows “Tusker” code, number of times observed during month and brief remarks.

Tusker Code

No. TimesSeen / Month

Remarks

BULLS

LU1

1

In good health but requents an unsafe area!

IL1

1

In worrying and unsafe location!

BA1

1

In worrying and unsafe location!

KO1

1

Moved back to original location

SL1

1

Has moved big distances

MA1

1

Normal location

DR1

1

Moved out of Park!

KM2

1

Normal location

COWS

F_VPL

4

Back to normal location. Looking very old and thin, often alone!

F_MU1

7

Normal area. Looking very old and thin. Always seen with her s/adult calf

Total

8 bulls, 2 cows: 19 different sighings

Close working relationship between KWS and Tsavo Trust (aerial and ground units combined) is without doubt adding to elephant security and safety of the big Tuskers and other elephants within the TCA through meaningful collaboration alongside KWS Security and Research and Monitoring Departments.

Photo shows one of Tsavo’s magnificent and iconic cow Tuskers coded as F_MU1 on 20th June 2017, TENP.Photo shows one of Tsavo’s magnificent and iconic cow Tuskers coded as F_MU1 on 20th June 2017, TENP. She is looking very old and it remains a big worry if she will pull through this dry spell over the next 4 months?

Areas Covered: Table 2: Shows the main areas covered within the TCA for this month:

The locations mentioned above is only an indicator of flight paths taken, many other areas in between are also covered and in so doing providing “eyes in the skies” over Tsavo and directional guidance to ground units.

All flight paths are logged and recorded with all relevant real time observations relayed to KWS on a daily basis for their records as well as necessary rapid reaction.

Map below shows flight paths for June 2017 where 60 hours were flown in support to KWS for anti-poaching, wildlife monitoring and aerial census operations covering 4,509 miles over the Tsavo’s.

Field Mobile Units:

All Tsavo Trust mobile field units work alongside in support of KWS on a daily basis. Tembo 1 and 3 teams are anti-poaching focused whilst Tembo 2 team is monitoring and research dedicated.

HWC – Crocodile Attack – 15-year-old Betty Wambua (reported on in last month’s report) is out of hospital and recovering wel.

Photo below shows Kamungi Conservancy bore hole pump and solar power system, funded through Tsavo Trust by its supporters. A stone wall is being built around this unit to help protect it against elephants. This water source for the local community could not be more timely given the continual droughts that this area experiences. It will help to create awareness within Kamungi community and with this create a protective “buffer” to the TENP that forms Kamungi’s southern boundary.

Aerial photo below shows one of the Human Elephant Conflict (HEC) - Elephant & Bees fenced plots within Kamungi Conservancy. Tsavo Trust and Kamungi Conservancy have partnered with Save The Elephants through Dr. Lucy King who pioneered this concept with considerable success.

Animal Welfare Program: Leopard Release Program:

Dotty the female leopard is now 14 months old and continues to thrive in her home in TENP. She has spent several days and nights at a time away from her release boma and has clearly come into contact with other wild leopards and has made her own kills. All good signs for her future.

Tsavo Trust has recently taken on a second orphaned female leopard for release into Tsavo, from KWS, called “Sophie”. The lengthy process of rehabilitation has started well.

UNUSUAL PHOTO OF THE MONTH:

Back to the unusual sight of a possible albino baby elephant, again this photo was taken on 20th June 2017 in TENP of a rarely seen albino elephant calf.

This photo clearly shows the extreme colour variations between mother and calf as they have both just come out of Mudanda water hole and all sets of legs have been washed clean that shows the clear colour variance.

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